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Stu Pomeranz has not been the same guy since his first shoulder injury back in 2006. He was finally starting to have the raw ability catch on the mound and the light bulb flickered. His shoulder has not been as strong and it is a fault of the teams to keep leaving him out as a starter, he should have gone to the bullpen and it may have helped preserve the arm a bit more.

I am not quite sure what he brings to the club other than some veteran stability at Norfolk or Bowie, but do not care what people say about the signing, he was a good prospect at one point with upside and it is a shame that some bad luck derailed his career.

Every year the team signs players to fill spots in their farm system and SOME fans act like we're deep frying the mascot. THESE SIGNINGS IMPROVE THE SYSTEM. Not by adding ML talent, but by allowing players to stay at a level where they can better develop and be able to watch how a veteran goes about their business.

I see adding minor league pitching depth as very important this year. There's a real chance that Britton, Arrieta, Matusz, Tillman, Bergesen, and Berken will all begin the year at AAA. When they start moving up to Baltimore then we will need pitchers to fill their places and we didn't have legitimate candidates at AA last year. If a trade or two is made then we might pick up a couple of AAA ready pitching prospects; otherwise, we'll NEED these no names and has beens to to fill the AAA rotation.

Anyone one signed to a minor league deal should be welcomed to the organization. It isn't taking a spot on the 40 man roster and is really a win win for both sides. The player gets a contract and the chance to play and potentially prove them-self. The team gets a cheap prospect. If the player doesn't pan out they are at worst cheap depth to the minor league system. If they do somehow pan out then you look like a genius for picking them up.

Ampontan wrote:It was announced a while ago that the Orioles signed a kid from Brazil (and were scouting some Argentineans). They never did mention the Brazilian's name. Looks like it was Raphael Moreno, a pitcher.

The Orioles signed 27-year-old Mexican pitcher Miguel Gonzalez to a minor league deal, the pitcher told Fernando Ballesteros at Puro Béisbol (link in Spanish). Gonzalez posted decent strikeout rates across three levels in the Red Sox system last year after two years away from the minors. He told Ballesteros he will start off at Triple-A for the Orioles.

MLBTR has learned that the Orioles signed catcher Josh Johnson. The 29-year-old played the last three years in the Atlantic League but prior to that spent time with the Rays and Astros Triple-A affiliates.